Clothes rack for vehicles



' y 1953 E. H. COLMAN CLOTHES RACK FOR VEHICLES Filed May 17, 1950 ATTORNEY Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHES RACK FOR VEHICLES Edith H. Colman, Bethe], Conn.

Application May 17, 1950, Serial No. 162,480 1 Claim. (01. 224-29) This invention is a clothes rack and is adapted particularly for use within motor vehicles.

In travel by motor vehicle it is diflicult to carry clothing without wrinkling. Various packing cases have been developed seeking to devise means whereby garments may be conveniently carried by motor vehicle in such manner as not to subject the same to mussing or wrinkling, but such devices have not met with pronounced success. Other means have been suggested for supporting clothing within the motor vehicle in such way as to obviate wrinkling or mussing but these efiorts too have not met entirely with success.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a rack for use within a motor vehicle in order'that clothing may be properly suspended or hung therein and maintained in such manner as to prevent mussing or wrinkling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack of the character generally stated which may be so applied within the vehicle as not to materially interfere with the free space therein, and which does not support the garments in such manner as to subject them generally to view from the exterior of the vehicle nor to interfere with the free window space of the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack of the character and for the purposes generally stated which may be easily and quickly applied in proper position within the vehicle, without the use of special skill or knowledge, and which may be equally as easily withdrawn or removed from the vehicle when not in use.

A still further object of theinvention is to provide a clothes rack which may be readily folded when not in use and stored in a minimum of, space.

A still further object is to provide a clothes rack of the character generally stated which is simple and inexpensive of construction, which embodies but few separable parts, which has its parts so constructed and arranged as to minimize the opportunity for wear, breakage or derangement, which may be manufactured and marketed at low cost, which is capable of being expanded or contracted to fit within vehicles varying in size, shape or construction, and which will prove highly practical and efiicient in use.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of the rear portion of a conventional form of passenger motor vehicle and showing the device of my invention applied to the interior thereof,

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a detail fragmentary perspective view of the cross bar,

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the standard and cross bar, and

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a modified form of the invention.

The rack of my invention includes a pair of identical uprights or standards indicated generally at S, connected at their upper ends by a cross bar or rod indicated generally at B. In order that the rack may be adaptable to motor vehicles differing in size and construction, the standards or uprights are made longitudinally extensible. To this end, the lower or base portions of the standards, indicated at l0, are of light hollow construction and telescopically receive the upper members H. These parts may be made of light inexpensive material and may be made flat or round as desired. Any desired or preferred means of holding the standards in extended position may be employed, set screws I2 being shown in the present instance. The complete standards are thus so arranged as to be capable of being extended or lengthened or contracted, and the set screws 12 will maintain the sections of the standards rigidly in the desired position.

The cross bar or rod B is also telescopic in orderthat the width of the rack may be increased or diminished as desired or required, the

said cross rod including the socket portion 13 and the inner slide it. This cross bar or rod may be circular or the sections 13-44 may be rectangular much the same as familiar curtain rods in order to present a rigid structure. The outer ends of sections |3-|4, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, are. hingedly connected as at 15 to the upper ends of the standards S. By this construction it is apparent that when not in use the sections of the cross bar B may be pulled apart or separated and the sections thereof swung upon their pivots l5 into substantial parallelism with the sections l I of the standards S. When collapsed, it will be understood that the upper sections ll of the standards will be slid the full length into the lower sections [0, whereupon the set screws may be tightened to hold the standard sections together. Thus collapsed, it is obvious that the rack may be conveniently stored away in a minimum of space.

A modified embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 5, wherein the telescopic cross rod or bar B is provided at its ends with studs or keys IE to fit within keyhole slots 11 formed in the upper ends of the sections I l of the standards S. In this embodiment of the invention the cross bar B is entirely removable or separable from the standards to permit of collapsing of the rack. V

In use, the standards S will be extended to the desired length to fit within the motor vehicle, whereupon the set screws l2 are tightened to maintain this adjustment. The standards S will be inserted in the back of the motor Vehicle-in the space between the upstanding vehicle sides and the rear seat cushion, the standards S being 7 disposed at such angle that the transverse-'barB- will be disposed across the back of the rear seat and in close proximity thereto. Preferably the bar B will rest against the upper edge of the rear seat, and the adjustment of the standards Swill be such that the bar B will be disposed below the line of vision through the rear window of the vehicle. It is found that the narrow space be tween the vehicle side and the rear seat cushion will snugly accommodate the standards S in friction engagement so asto stabilize and solidly maintain the rack in upstanding position. Garments will be arranged upon the hangers l8 suspended from the cross bar B as shown. Shorter garments, such as jackets and coats will lie flat against the back of the seat as .is obvious. Longer garments such as coats, ladies gowns, dresses and thelike. will depend from their respective hangers as to lie gracefully down the back of the seat and across the bottom thereof in such manner as to avoid the opportunity or possibilityof becoming wrinkled or mussed.

be placed upon the rear seat as shown at I 9, over which the longergarments may be draped.

If de- 1 sired, suitcases, handbags or other luggage may The rack constructed in the manner described enables garments to be readily and easily applied to the vehicle and removed therefrom without opportunity of becoming mussed or wrinkled. It has been found that by suspending the garments, particularly frail clothing such as ladies gowns and dresses, in the manner set forth, creasing or mussing is obviated, as all opportunity for sharp bending or folding of the garment is eliminated. When not in use, the rack may be easily withdrawn from its position within the vehicle and collapsed and folded in the manner heretofore described to be stowed away in small space within the trunk or other compartment of the vehicle.

I claim: 7

A clothes rack for use within a vehicle body having the usual transversely disposed seat and a back inclined with respect thereto, comprising apair'zof straight longitudinally extensible standards to rest upon the floor of the vehicle and frictionally engaged near their lower portions and held only by such friction between the ends of said seat and the adjacent sides of said vehicle body in an upright position with the upper portions thereof resting against said back at substantially the same inclination as the latter, means for holding said standards in their extended positions, and a telescopic cross rod connecting the upper ends of said standards normally disposed below the upper end of said back.

EDITH H. COLMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Batzle Jan. 29, 1952 

